sef27

I appear to have spotted one of the rumored white whales or unicorns: a factory 4 door cummins 1st gen.

I read regularly and almost never post. By brief intro I have a 91.5 great 1st gen with 250K miles, no payments, no mods, 20 mpg, bone stock (except for Patsy Cline playing CD) with newly rebuilt Getrag, new original type clutch, dear catcher, nice camper shell, newly done injection pump, stretched club cab. Runs perfectly, like new. Hauls horses in my two horse trailer like they aren't there. Love it and its simplicity and mileage. Greatly prefer it to the new ones, except for space inside. Love to work on this. It is a gear head's dream. I believe it will outlive our oil supplies.

My question is this: Today I found a factory crew cab, 4 dr with a utility body 1st gen cummins, supposedly a 93, supposedly manufactured in Mexico. I haven't yet been able to look under the hood, we're still in negotiations. I have heard hints that there were a limited number of 4 dr crew cab dodge cummins 1st gens created for utility companies or the railroad or some commercial individuals. Now, I have seen one. It must not be a rumor. The owner says though that it has a 4 speed tranny. By the way, the front windows are electric, back are manual roll up and down. All looks factory though.

This looks from the outside, from beneath and what I can see without actually crawling under and looking for what tranny this is (I was dressed up at the time) as if it is a factory job.

Do any of us know about these? With a 4 speed tranny? The shift pattern on the **** is 4 speed with reverse where 5th speed overdrive is on our Getrags. Obviously, if it appears legit, I'm going to pay reasonably top dollar for this, and will deal with the bit of surface rust and will repaint it and maintain it. I will then use this to transport more kids, dogs and horses in our travels when we need 6 seats. My other pickup will be carefully bequeathed to my daughter. (The seller's Dad even has an extra 1st gen diesel to go withh this. Yoo hoo,)

Anyone know anything about this? Why a 4 speed, and what 4 speed could this be? I'll be crawling under this soon I hope, and buying it soon if possible. Obviously, I wonder what mileage a 4 speed without overdrive will get? I don't know what gears are in the axles.

Thanks for any advice/info.

Doc

MoparMarv

Sounds like a cummins swap into an older 4 dr. There are a few floating around. It could very well be a 4spd trans that came stock in the 4dr back in the 70's or 80's. If the swap was done well and the price is right you can't go wrong.

farmer0_1

get the vin should be someone here can tell you something from that.

sef27

Thanks for the responses Farmer and MoparMarv. When I get access I'll check vin. The sheetmetal is 93 dodge, and the interior has all the right items on the dash "cummins turbo diesel" etc, and all the right badges on outside. This seems to be a factory job, or a very very nice conversion in what is essentially a work truck showing use. I'll find out more soon, especially regarding that 4 spd. I'm still waiting to see under that hood, and to crawl under and look at that tranny.

haloman

I bet it is just a nicely done conversion.

Free89W350

Wasn't there 4 door Ramchargers available in Mexico up until 94. I remember seeing or reading about them somewhere just don't know exactly where. And if that's the case I don't see why this couldn't be factory. They did make some different models that weren't available in the states.

Trooperthorn

When I am done with the swap in my signature, you would have a dificult time telling it was not original. If I had retained the cab tank or even the 20 gal frame tank that I had once put in there would be no obvious tells. The bigger tank requred moving two cross members which put bolts in place of factory rivets. I will be putting a complete '92 dash in mine, including all the emblems. The wiring on both sides of the firewall will be factory '92.

Of course mine will have the old school sheet metal, but, if my swap was into a '84, I could pass it as factory. Except for the #'s.

MunK

When I am done with my Crew Cab swap.... it will probably be mistaken for a gasser with a Rod Knock ;-P

NoRM

BRUISER

Sounds like a nice truck.. when you go back try to snap a few pics..

I am working on a deal right now to get a '85 4 door

sef27

The current owner is at a job site and hasn't gotten back to me re the truck. I'm awaiting his contact, so no pics yet. Thanks for the replies. Perhaps this is just a very well done conversion. It's just surprising that someone would go to so much trouble with aesthetics so it looks like a stock conversion and then let it be used for work to collect surface rust and get the bumps and bruises and scrapes that go with hard use on the sheetmetal The 4 speed is unusual, and leaves me worried at this point. The owner told me it was factory and that it was made in Mexico. That and my strange recollection is what made me consider this might be a factory job. I'll really look at things when I get the chance.

I'm trying to find in any forum where I got the impression that there were a few 1st gen 4 doors wiith cummins' made for the railroad and/or utility companies. This may just be my imagination. Either way, I'm willing to take a chance on the conversion and will be buying the truck if given the chance, meaning when the owner contacts me. Pics to follow, probably followed by questions regarding locating and putting in a Getrag.

Trebor

You need to decode the VIN number. I have never seen a code in any VIN number that designated it was a 4 door after 1985 or 86 from memory. There was a code for an incomplete chassis but most of them ended up as the military tug tractors.

sef27

Thanks Trebor. I'll work on getting that VIN. That will be interesting to see what it corresponds to.

Doc

csramsey640

Its very odd, because the 4 speed used was an np435, I have a few of them, and a Cummins will not mate behind one.

I had an 85 crewcab 350. and it looks very similar in so many ways to my 91, that i could swap everything around to make it work. let us know.

simplysmn

My old truck before I rolled it looked just like a factory 93 ctd 4x4 but it was a crewcab longbed and as far as I know dodge never made a longbed 4x4 crewcab I was the first in Ca to build one the the boom hit now there all over the place

da_diesel

alright fellas a fellow cummins junkie has enetered the forum with as usual a new project.. I saved a clean ,straight, '85 1ton crew cab automatic from the car crusher yesterday . I want to put my 92 cummins 5spd . I need everything .links,pics ,advice .. Will the motor and trans just slide in with a little trans. support move ?
How do I mount the clutch when the steering column is slightly left of where it is in the 92?
will my 92 fenders hood and grill just bolt right up.?

Whats the most diffucult part of the conversion ? How do I raise the height of the truck 9 inches cheaply and easily . ?

will my 92 front end bolt up?
Iknow thats a lot of questions but I need the help thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanks a bunch